Max Verstappen Defends Second Consecutive F1 Title

READ MORE: Ferrari Determined To Reignite F1 Glory in 2023

The Red Bull pairing

The two-time World Champion is on a mission to grab his third title just after he turns 26. After arriving on the grid in 2015 as one of the youngest drivers at 17, Verstappen proved worthy of a seat. Many doubted his skill as a teenager. But, a quick promotion from Toro Rosso to Red Bull silenced the critics. At 25 years old he already holds incredible career figures to match a list of legendary drivers.

There are no questions that Verstappen and his machine are a force to be reckoned with. More wins await the Dutch driver. Last year, he bagged 15 victories in 22 races to successfully defend his first title.

Meanwhile, Sergio Perez has been his wingman since the Mexican joined the team in 2021. The former Racing Point driver was pivotal in Verstappen’s recent success and Red Bull’s return to the Constructors’ Championship picture in 2013. His portfolio means he is also a match for anyone trying to work their way to the top of the standings. His blistering lap times in Saudi Arabia and a confident victory at Marina Bay last year are examples of why he can be just as successful as any top contender out there.

If Perez can maintain consistent results, there’s no question that we can see his stats improve going forward. His hopes to fight for the championship should be within reach with more composed driving.

Then and now

Last year saw Red Bull’s most successful season in Formula 1. While early threats from Ferrari rattled team principal Christian Horner and company, the Scuderia’s blunders and strategic errors, unreliability, and driver errors eventually led them to spiral downward. Red Bull took advantage of the situation and scored 17 wins overall.

Verstappen was on a different level of dominance. He scored 147 points ahead of his closest rival, Charles Leclerc. Red Bull also pulled away in the Constructors’ Championship and finished 205 points over them and second-place Ferrari.

The only lapse for the team is a handful of reliability issues and possible tensions between Verstappen and Perez. Nevertheless, Horner will try to smoothen the rough edges come March, especially now that they expect heavier attacks from Ferrari and Mercedes.

Keeping Verstappen and Perez’s relationship stable is more important than anything else here. With Ferrari now spearheaded by former Alfa Romeo team principal Frederic Vasseur, we could be in for more surprises moving forward. On the other hand, Mercedes hoping to produce a more competitive car at the end of a problematic 2022 run.

Red Bull is expected to come back stronger in 2023. Although it’s a tough test to surpass their achievements last season, we already know that they hold the necessary tools to pull off another incredible season. The RB18 is already a mighty machine and could further improve with more testing. Despite recently losing engineer Dan Fallows to Aston Martin, heaps of talent are ready to fill in the void. They are the team to beat as fans and bettors prepare for the 2023 Formula 1 season.

Where on Bet on the F1 with Bitcoin

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